What if your customers could become your most powerful influencers — and you paid them less than Facebook ads? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog and now founder of Social Tip — a groundbreaking platform aiming to democratize influence. James shares how Social Tip flips the traditional advertising model on its head by turning everyday customers into brand advocates.

They explore James's transition from brewing beer to building tech, what makes Social Tip unique, and how it's gaining traction with both major brands and local businesses. From the power of peer-to-peer marketing to the impact of AI on content creation, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of advertising and creator monetization.

Topics Discussed:

• Why James launched Social Tip and what it does
• The outdated nature of traditional advertising models
• How the platform turns everyday customers into influencers
• Early traction with UK brands and plans for US expansion
• Insights from BrewDog and how they inform this new venture

Key Takeaways:

• The Future of Ads Is People, Not Platforms: Peer-to-peer marketing outperforms traditional advertising in both cost and impact.
• Authenticity Beats Influence: Real users with small followings are creating high-performing, genuine content.
• BrewDog Playbook 2.0: Social Tip empowers communities over stunts — a quiet but radical shift in strategy.
• From Coffee Shops to Corporates: The platform is scalable for both global giants and indie businesses.
• Now’s the Time to Build: AI is supercharging entrepreneurship — and the hard stuff is what builds real value.

Listen to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business — and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!